Impact of health warning labels on snack selection: An online experimental study

ObjectivesThis study examined the effect of pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) on the waterpipe (WP) device on smokers’ experience, puffing behaviour, harm perception and exposure to respiratory toxicants.MethodsThirty WP smokers completed two 45 min ad libitum smoking sessions (WP without HWL vs WP with HWL) in a crossover design study. Exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) was measured before and after each smoking session. Puff topography was recorded throughout the smoking session, and participants completed survey questionnaires assessing subjective smoking experiences and harm perception.ResultsSignificant differences were observed in eCO levels between the two study conditions, with lower levels of eCO boost recorded following smoking the WP fitted with HWL (16 ppm) compared with WP without HWL (22.7 ppm). Participants had more puffs, shorter interpuff intervals and a higher total puff volume during smoking the WP without HWL relative to WP with HWL (p values <0.05). We documented enhanced reports of satisfaction, taste and puff liking following smoking the WP without HWL compared with the WP with HWL. WP harm perception was significantly higher among participants after smoking the WP with HWL compared with WP without HWL.ConclusionThis pilot study shows that placing HWL on the WP device is effective in reducing WP smoker’s positive experiences, puffing parameters and exposure to carbon monoxide. HWLs lead also to more appreciation of WP harmful effects, making them a promising regulatory approach for addressing the spread of WP smoking among young adults in the USA.

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Smokers' Neurological Responses to Novel and Repeated Health Warning Labels (HWLs) From Cigarette Packages

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00319 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Johann F. Fridriksson ◽

Chris Rorden ◽

Roger D. Newman-Norlund ◽

Brett Froeliger ◽

James F. Thrasher

Keyword(s):

Warning Labels ◽

Health Warning

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Image-and-text health warning labels on alcohol and food: potential effectiveness and acceptability

10.21203/rs.2.23468/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Emily Pechey ◽

Natasha Clarke ◽

Eleni Mantzari ◽

Anna Blackwell ◽

Katie De-loyde ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotional Arousal ◽

Field Studies ◽

Tobacco Consumption ◽

Bowel Cancer ◽

Free Text ◽

Label Free ◽

Warning Labels ◽

Potential Effectiveness ◽

Health Warning ◽

Alcoholic Drinks

Abstract Background Health warning labels (HWLs) using images and text to depict the negative health consequences of tobacco consumption are effective and acceptable for changing smoking-related outcomes. There is currently limited evidence concerning their potential use for reducing consumption of alcoholic drinks and energy-dense foods. The aim of this research was to describe the potential effectiveness and acceptability of image-and-text (also known as pictorial or graphic) HWLs applied to : i. alcoholic drinks and ii. energy-dense snack foods. Methods Two online studies were conducted using between-subjects designs with general population samples. Participants rated one of 21 image-and-text HWLs on alcoholic drinks (n=5528), or one of 18 image-and-text HWLs on energy-dense snacks (n=4618). HWLs comprised a graphic image with explanatory text, depicting, respectively, seven diseases linked to excess alcohol consumption, and six diseases linked to excess energy intake. Diseases included heart disease and various cancers. Outcomes were negative emotional arousal, desire to consume the labelled product, and acceptability of the label. Free-text comments relating to HWLs were content analysed. Results For both alcoholic drinks and energy-dense snacks, HWLs depicting bowel cancer generated the highest levels of negative emotional arousal and lowest desire to consume the product, but were the least acceptable. Acceptability was generally low for HWLs applied to alcohol, with 3 of 21 rated as acceptable, and was generally high for snacks, with 13 of 18 rated as acceptable. The majority of free-text comments expressed negative reactions to HWLs on alcohol or energy-dense snacks. Conclusions Image-and-text health warning labels depicting bowel cancer showed greatest potential for reducing selection and consumption of alcoholic drinks and energy-dense snacks, although they were the least acceptable. Laboratory and field studies are needed to assess their impact on selection and consumption.

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Country Participation in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Health Warnings Database

Tobacco Use Insights ◽

10.1177/1179173x211064214 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 1179173X2110642

Author(s):

Christopher M. Seitz ◽

Kenneth D. Ward ◽

Zubair Kabir

Keyword(s):

Tobacco Control ◽

World Health ◽

Warning Labels ◽

Health Warnings ◽

Tobacco Products ◽

Health Warning ◽

Pictorial Warnings ◽

The World ◽

Alternative Tobacco Products ◽

Tobacco Packaging

Background The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Health Warnings Database is an online, publicly available resource created for countries to upload and share pictorial health warnings for tobacco packaging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which the database is used by countries for the sharing of pictorial warnings. Methods The study’s sample included parties to the FCTC who required graphic health warning labels on cigarette packaging from. Those countries were categorized as having a low, middle, and high Socio-Demographic Index (SDI). The Health Warnings Database was then analyzed for those countries’ unique pictorial images, as well as the number of pictorials that were shared between countries. Results Of the 110 countries that required pictorial warnings on cigarette packaging, only 53 (48%) voluntarily contributed pictorials to the database, with most of those (53%) being high SDI-level countries. There were 342 unique pictorials on the database, with 62 images posted by seven countries that were used by 13 other countries. Conclusion While sharing was evident from the database, there remains a need for more countries to upload the pictorials to the database. There is also a need to expand the database to include alternative tobacco products, such as waterpipe tobacco and e-cigarettes.

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Image-and-text health warning labels on alcohol and food: potential effectiveness and acceptability

10.31234/osf.io/gxynw ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Emily Pechey ◽

Natasha Clarke ◽

Eleni Mantzari ◽

Anna Katherine Mary Blackwell ◽

Katie De-loyde ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotional Arousal ◽

Field Studies ◽

Tobacco Consumption ◽

Bowel Cancer ◽

Free Text ◽

Label Free ◽

Warning Labels ◽

Potential Effectiveness ◽

Health Warning ◽

Alcoholic Drinks

BackgroundHealth warning labels (HWLs) using images and text to depict the negative health consequences of tobacco consumption are effective and acceptable for changing smoking-related outcomes. There is currently limited evidence concerning their effectiveness and acceptability for reducing consumption of alcoholic drinks and energy-dense foods. AimTo describe potential effectiveness and acceptability of image-and-text (also known as pictorial or graphic) HWLs applied to: i. alcoholic drinks and ii. energy-dense snack foods.Methods Two online studies were conducted using between-subjects designs with representative UK samples. Participants rated one of 21 image-and-text HWLs on alcoholic drinks (n=5528), or one of 18 image-and-text HWLs on energy-dense snacks (n=4618). HWLs comprised a graphic image with explanatory text, depicting, respectively, seven diseases linked to excess alcohol consumption, and six diseases linked to excess energy intake. Diseases included heart disease and various cancers. Outcomes were negative emotional arousal, desire to consume the labelled product, and acceptability of the label. Free-text comments relating to HWLs were content analysed. ResultsFor both alcoholic drinks and energy-dense snacks, HWLs depicting bowel cancer generated the highest levels of negative emotional arousal and lowest desire to consume the product, but were the least acceptable. Acceptability was generally low for HWLs applied to alcohol, with 3 of 21 rated as acceptable, and was generally high for snacks, with 13 of 18 rated as acceptable. The majority of free-text comments expressed negative reactions to HWLs on alcohol or energy-dense snacks. Conclusions Image-and-text health warning labels depicting bowel cancer showed greatest potential for reducing selection and consumption of alcoholic drinks and energy-dense snacks, although they were the least acceptable. Laboratory and field studies are needed to assess their impact on selection and consumption.

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